Bushfire-affected communities will receive funding from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund for community events over the Christmas and New Year period and for memorial events for those communities who choose to, for the anniversary of Black Saturday under a new $870,000 package aimed at bringing communities together.
The Appeal Fund has set aside $580,000 to support communities who wish to do so to hold memorial or commemorative events in the lead up or on the one-year anniversary of the February 7 fires.
A further $290,000 has been allocated by the Fund to a new Community Summer Events package to support community recovery committees to organise summer activities which unite and support communities.
Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund chair Pat McNamara said the Appeal Fund wanted to support communities to come together for some time-out from the difficulties of the past 10 months.
“We understand that the Christmas and summer period is going to be a particularly challenging time as people and communities continue to face the challenges of recovering from the fires and deal with the loss of loved ones,” Mr McNamara said.
“As people continue to face these day-to-day and long-term challenges, the Fund wanted to be able to support them to take time out and spend time with their family, friends and communities.
“And as we approach the one-year anniversary of the tragic Black Saturday fires, the Fund felt it was appropriate at this time to make funds so generously donated by the public available to support those communities who wish to do so, to organise events, memorials and services to mark the occasion either in the lead up to it or on February 7 next year.”
Every community affected by the February fires will receive up to $30,000 to hold commemorative events on or close to the one-year anniversary of February 7.
The Community Summer Events package will be allocated through the 30 Community Recovery Committees with between $5000 and $15,000 each to hold events in their local areas such as Christmas parties, festivals, dinners, movie nights or afternoon teas.
The Premier John Brumby welcomed the Appeal Fund’s decision and said it reflected the generosity and intent with which people from Victoria, Australia and across the world donated.
“The fires have changed our State permanently and for so many the pain of the fires is just as strong now as it was in February,” Mr Brumby said.
“We will be guided by the wishes and views of the people and communities affected by the tragic Black Saturday and Gippsland fires about how they want to remember these events. Each and every person touched by the fires will choose to reflect and remember them in their own way.
“The Fund’s allocation will support communities to make those choices and I believe donors would be glad to hear their generously donated funding is going to such a good cause.”
Commonwealth Parliamentary Secretary for Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction Bill Shorten said the Rudd Government would continue to stand by Victorian communities as they recovered and moved forward with their lives.
“We will never forget the terrible suffering endured by so many during the worst natural disaster in Australia's history,” Mr Shorten said.
This latest allocation by the fund will support communities to come together and share their experiences over these past 10 months as well as take a much-needed break from the pressures of day-to-day life.”
Both packages are being co-ordinated by the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, chaired by Christine Nixon.
Ms Nixon said the support from the Fund was vital for affected residents and communities.
“We know the events grants made available through the Appeal Fund over winter, made a significant difference to bushfire affected residents, providing opportunities for the community to come together and relief from the day to day issues they are facing,” Ms Nixon said.
Ms Nixon said affected communities were currently in the process of determining how they will mark the one year anniversary of the bushfires.
“We know that, like Christmas, this will be a very painful time for people and some communities may choose to hold a service or community event to mark the anniversary, while some may choose to do nothing at all,” she said.
The Community Summer Events package builds on the Community Winter Needs package, which provided up to $25,000 per community to hold events and gatherings.
More than $388 million, including interest, was donated to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund to support individuals, families and communities in the wake of this country’s worst natural disaster.
Applications for most of the Appeal Fund’s 26 financial support packages for individuals close on 31 December, 2009. People who are unable to apply by that date, or who require additional time, will have their applications considered on compassionate grounds on a case-by-case basis.
All bushfire-affected individuals still in need of support and wishing to apply for gifts can call the Appeal Fund information line 1800 180 213, where they can also seek access to a case manager who will assess their needs, put them in touch with support networks and services and advise them of their eligibility.
People can also visit the Department of Human Services website www.dhs.vic.gov.au/bushfireappeal. All available payments and application forms are listed on the website.